Congratulations to keepclicking for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 7 votes - View Previous Winners
Last summer, I spent three days exploring the Normandy coast with a French friend. A highlight of our trip was visiting the island abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, a renowned pilgrimage site I aimed to photograph at both sunset and sunrise. I was struck by how much more crowded it had become since my last visit in 2008.
To catch the shuttle to the abbey, you now need to stay at one of the hotels within a secured gate. Having explored the abbey's interior on previous trips, I opted not to go inside this time. For sunset, I found a prime spot on the famous footbridge and was rewarded with spectacular views. I was blessed with incredible sunset.
The following morning, I returned to the bridge before dawn, hoping for a repeat performance. Unfortunately, it was drizzling, and the abbey was completely obscured by fog. I was the only photographer there, patiently waiting for the fog to roll in and out, offering fleeting glimpses of the abbey. As conditions didn't seem promising, I walked to my second planned viewpoint—a meandering river bend that offered picturesque views of the abbey. While the river bends were dry, the scene remained beautiful. Even at early dawn hours there were hundreds of people walking on the bridge to the abbey!
Despite the challenging weather, I captured a few images during my one-night stay.
Thanks for viewing and welcome all CC.
Mont-Saint-Michel - Sunset
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel blue hour
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel mendering river bends
Mont-Saint-Michel with its famous sheep
Mont-Saint-Michel road side view. you can see the line of the bridge to get inside! This was around 7am
All exceptional ! It is so difficult to take nice pictures of overcrowded areas where the temptation to follow the crowd is terrible. You seem to have planified a quasi military campaign to determine the nice spots considering the weather.
junglialoh wrote:
Beautiful compositions - each image has own beauty and character
Jung, thanks a lot fir the compliments. Glad you found the composition to be pleasing. That's an area I struggle with.
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Ross Martin wrote:
Parul, beautiful images of a stunning location! I enjoy them all. Easily earns my vote.
Ross, I am truly thankful to all your guidence in my photography journey. I am so glad that you enjoyed viewing this set and found the set worthy of your vote.
Very nice. I have fond memories of this place when I visited my senior year of high school some 25+ years ago. It makes me wonder how a place with such history has changed since I was there.
keepclicking wrote:
Last summer, I spent three days exploring the Normandy coast with a French friend. A highlight of our trip was visiting the island abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, a renowned pilgrimage site I aimed to photograph at both sunset and sunrise. I was struck by how much more crowded it had become since my last visit in 2008.
To catch the shuttle to the abbey, you now need to stay at one of the hotels within a secured gate. Having explored the abbey's interior on previous trips, I opted not to go inside this time. For sunset, I found a prime spot on the famous footbridge and was rewarded with spectacular views. I was blessed with incredible sunset.
The following morning, I returned to the bridge before dawn, hoping for a repeat performance. Unfortunately, it was drizzling, and the abbey was completely obscured by fog. I was the only photographer there, patiently waiting for the fog to roll in and out, offering fleeting glimpses of the abbey. As conditions didn't seem promising, I walked to my second planned viewpoint—a meandering river bend that offered picturesque views of the abbey. While the river bends were dry, the scene remained beautiful. Even at early dawn hours there were hundreds of people walking on the bridge to the abbey!
Despite the challenging weather, I captured a few images during my one-night stay.
Captivating. I spend significant time there and couldn't get enough. The location, nature and the whole history, all is amazing.You did a good job> Thanks for allowing me to enjoying the whole scene again.
Bob
Rajan Parrikar wrote:
Parul: Absolutely top-notch imaging! All are good but if I had to pick, #1 and #3 would be the ones.
Thanks a lot Rajan, prior detailed study of images and locations was quite helpful during this visit.
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douter wrote:
This is a wonderful study, KC!
Douglas
Thanks Doug, appreciate it.
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mspencer1 wrote:
Wonderful photos with great composition and light! The 1st one is my favorite.
Margaret
Thanks Margaret, composition is an area a quite often struggle and glad to know that many in there comments have enjoyed the composition. The sunset was quite spectacular that day.
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Danpbphoto wrote:
I concur with all the above Parul! Just magnificient photography! As stated, each one is a "hit"!
Just beautiful!
Dan
cohenfive wrote:
All of them are beautiful. My favs would be 1,3 and 5. I've been there once, the light was lousy for photos. Great to see yours though!
Thank you, #1 would be my favourite too. It's always hard when you only have one evening to photograph and hoping that weather God cooperates. In this case i did get lucky with amazing sunset.
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lumenspixel wrote:
All exceptional ! It is so difficult to take nice pictures of overcrowded areas where the temptation to follow the crowd is terrible. You seem to have planified a quasi military campaign to determine the nice spots considering the weather.
You have been rewarded and thank you for sharing.
Thank you very much, definitely made me blush I did have a plan but had forgotten to check the weather. Morning when I got to my car, I was so dissapointed but I stood on the bridge hoping for a miracle. Finally gave up and walked to mendering river bend, which was a super long walk. I agree, it's always hard to get nice pictures of overcrowded area.
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Bill Gass wrote:
Dam...You're killin me smalls...
Love everyone of these and terrific work on your end...
Almost made it here last year...Some day maybe.
Bill, I am so glad that you enjoyed viewing the set. I hope you do get to go, but be sure to book hotel inside the secured gate. One can't just drive up anymore.
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Jim Dockery wrote:
Nice study "mendering river bends" is my fav.
Thanks Jim, mendering river bend was a great location and with some water it would be really cool. In fact my hotel lobby had similar picture with water and did look cool.
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jiggyb21 wrote:
Very nice. I have fond memories of this place when I visited my senior year of high school some 25+ years ago. It makes me wonder how a place with such history has changed since I was there.
Thank you very much. This was my 3rd visit and what has changed is how many people visit and how many restrictions have been put in place! This time I didn't even bother trying to go inside the abbey.
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"mendering river bends" is my fav.